


Dance With Me?

by VelvetSky



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Darcy and Daniel keeping busy while Peggy and Steve have some time, F/M, Slow Dancing, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 20:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14028225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VelvetSky/pseuds/VelvetSky
Summary: Darcy is assisting Captain America on a mission to the past, and while he is busy catching up with someone he used to know, Daniel keeps her company.





	Dance With Me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [phoenix_173](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenix_173/gifts).



> For my Blogversary fics. This one is for @phoenix-173. I hope you like it! :)
> 
> The prompt: Darcy/Daniel Sousa “Dance with me?”
> 
> A/N: I have never written Daniel, much less him with Darcy, so I hope it came out well. I do like him though. :) I actually really enjoyed writing this one. It was fun playing with something different.

Darcy had accepted a mission, assisting Captain America, something having to do with his past. A few flashes of light later, and they were in 1947. The details of the mission were need to know, so she only knew she was along as the tech person. It was a few days, where she largely hung back keeping tabs, via trackers and coms, on where Cap was going and if he got into any trouble. Everything went smoothly. Fortunately there was a way back, and she had the key to it, but he said he needed to do something else first. Leaving her sitting in a dance hall, with no coms link or monitoring, in a time way before she was born, not quite sure what to do with herself. Perhaps she should have insisted he watch a few selected episodes of Star Trek before embarking on this mission. But she hoped Captain America knew better than to do anything too crazy that could have unknown effects on the timeline.

She was dressed for the era, of course, but that didn’t really help her feel at ease. She knew enough about history to not be ignorant of the basics, part of why she’d been a candidate for this task, apparently. But without Steve to have some general idea about the era’s finer points of custom, she was slightly concerned she’d accidentally over speak or reference something from the 1950s by accident. She enjoyed old movies and things, but standing there, she was concerned she wouldn’t recall the release year for something and mention a movie or actor who wouldn’t come out or become known for another few years. She was sure she was a few years too early for Brando or Audrey Hepburn. Cary Grant was safe, but what was his most recent movie at this time? And had Marilyn Monroe made her debut? It always felt like she did quite a number of movies, but Darcy knew her career was actually much shorter than it seemed like it should have been, given her fame and the number of notable films she starred in. But then, that was what made her such a legend. If asked about favorite films for some reason, she made a mental note to stick to films and actors whose movies she knew were made in the mid Forties and earlier.

Lacking a better plan, and knowing Steve said he’d probably be an hour or so, she went for what she’d have done in her time in, if she were stuck in some evening time hang out alone. Order a drink and sit down to people watch. She went with wine, and found an empty table along the edge, where she could watch the dancing and socializing, and hopefully avoid attention.

She was hit on twice in fifteen minutes. Apparently her look attracted much more attention in 1947 than it did in the 21st century. Darcy politely declined both advances, she’d used the ‘I’m waiting for someone’ line, hoping they wouldn’t notice when it was an hour before anyone appeared. She was trying to keep an eye on them, and for anyone else who might detour her way. So far, both men seemed to have found other, more willing dance partners.

“Darcy Lewis?” A man stood beside her table, she hadn’t even noticed him arrive.

“Who’s asking?” No one in this time should know her, she felt her pulse jump, and her muscles tighten throughout her body.

“My name’s Daniel Sousa. I’m a friend of Peggy Carter’s. Steve’s catching up with her, and asked if I could come check on you, keep you company. It seemed like they maybe they could use some space.” He smiled, though Darcy felt like there was perhaps a hint of longing in his eyes.

Darcy hadn’t known what Steve was doing with this time, but she knew at least as much of his story as the History books told, and she knew the name Peggy Carter from those books as well. It at least sounded like it all made sense. “Are we just staying here?”

“Yes, Steve said he’d come by when they finished talking. Mind if I sit?” He was still standing, his hand only resting on the back of one of the vacant chairs.

“Oh, sure. Of course.” Darcy smiled a little easier, figuring if this was some kind of well orchestrated ploy, he’d have at least probably tried to get her to leave to somewhere else, not stay where there were many people around, and where Steve was due to come find her in awhile.

“I can’t say I understand the how and why of you two being here, but I know stranger things have happened.” Daniel sat down with a sigh.

Darcy laughed just a little, “the world has always been a little crazy, I suppose.”

Daniel smiled, this one a little less clouded than the last. “That would seem to be true.”

They both paused when a waitress came up to their table, Daniel ordered a drink, then looked back at Darcy. She smiled at him, pondering a route for conversation.

“So, what is it you do, Daniel?” She figured they had close to an hour to hang out, might as well be friendly.

“I work for the SSR. Should I even ask what you do, Miss Lewis?” He laced his hands atop the table. While he glanced around occasionally, his focus seemed to be on her.

“You can call me Darcy. I’m basically just an assistant to a lot of very smart and heroic people.” She shrugged, it was, to her, a fair assessment of what she did in the most basic of terms.

“How are you enjoying this trip, knowing it obviously must have had some particular purpose. I was assured this kind of travel is not common place.” He shifted a little as he spoke, perhaps in search of the proper words.

“It’s not at all common. But it’s certainly been interesting to experience. Though I find it a little nerve wracking. But maybe I’ve seen and read too many stories where things like this have strange consequences.” It both felt like one of the strangest conversations she’d ever had, and also oddly comfortable and easy.

Daniel chuckles a little, nodding as she spoke. They both looked up when the waitress brought his drink. He thanked her, giving her a polite smile and nod. He took a sip, waiting for the waitress to walk away, before speaking. “I feel like there’s a bunch of things I’d like to ask, but are probably things you aren’t allowed to say.”

“Probably, but I’d probably be wondering the same questions.” This time, it was not just her smiling at him, but catching him smiling at her at the same time, sharing a little laugh.

“Can I ask one question about the future?” He leaned forward a bit, forearms on the table, glass between his hands, stare firmly on Darcy’s.

“Sure, I’ll answer it if I can.” Something about the way he spoke, just told her it was probably a question that wouldn’t be terrible to answer.

“Does it get easier, or better, anyway, for women like Peggy? You seem like a woman of strong wills. Do men still try to step on your attempts to be who you want to be?” His expression was soft, but serious.

Darcy’s smile took on a warm softness that seemed to compliment the question. “A little. It’s far from perfectly equal, but progress continues. And I think women like Peggy had a lot to do with that. I might have strong wills, but not the way Peggy does, from what I know. I haven’t broken any barriers, or blazed any trails.”

Daniel nodded, taking a sip. “At least some of the things done in my time are remembered.”

“Of course. Not just the war, or things like that either. The films and music and things like that of this time live on as well.” She didn’t care if she was walking her self into a conversation where she could slip up on when something was made.

“That’s good, that it’s not just something as dark as war that is remembered. Music and books carried me through some troubled times, in ways that I feel like not a lot of generations before mine really got to have. Music and literature hasn’t always been for the masses. None of my grandparents even learned to read. I feel like it’s become more accessible to more people, it’s good that’s continued.” He hadn’t broken eye contact with her, and Darcy felt like she was seeing just a little into his soul for a moment.

“That it has. And I’ve had the same kind of feeling with music and literature, and films. In hard times, they can help keep someone afloat, give them that little escape or support they don’t have elsewhere.” Darcy managed to sip her wine without losing eye contact for more than a split moment.

His gaze was just as steady, “If we had time, I think I would have enjoyed sharing some music, or a trip to the movies, with you.”

“That sounds very nice, I think I would have enjoyed that too.” They were quiet for a moment. He looked down at his glass before taking a long drink, and she glanced around the room before a smile hit her lips again. Darcy looked over at him and caught his eyes again. “Dance with me?”

“I’d love to, but I can’t.” The smile he gave her wasn’t forced, but there was a little clouding in his eyes in that moment, when he looked at her.

“Don’t know how to dance?” Darcy sat forward a bit, shifted closer to him, her knee lightly brushing his.

“I used to, I loved dancing before the war. But now…” The clouding faded fast enough, but he still sounded serious, and the heavy sigh that followed his trailing off made Darcy’s heart ache a little, wondering what happened. Daniel lifted a crutch that had been leaning against his side. Darcy hadn’t noticed it before. It must have been obscured behind him when she first noticed him standing beside her table, and when he sat, she never spotted it.

“Your leg was injured in the war?” Her voice was soft, her gaze never leaving his.

“Lost it.” Daniel shifted and pulled up his pant leg just enough she could see the false leg. He shifted again to cover it, then looked up at Darcy again.

“Have you tried just slow dancing, or swaying with it?” She figured if he walked around okay with the false leg and a crutch, maybe swaying could be manageable.

Daniel seemed to just stare at her a moment, “no, I actually haven’t.”

“You want to try?” Darcy wasn’t going to push him if he really wasn’t comfortable trying, or thought it wouldn’t work, but if he hadn’t tried, she was willing to be his test case.

He looked around, “I’d like to, I just don’t want to fall or make a scene.”

“Okay,” Darcy nodded and gave him a warm smile, her hand reaching out to give his nearest hand a soft squeeze.

“I’d really like to…” Daniel trailed off again, without finishing, though his stare remained locked on hers.

“It’s okay, we can sit here, and imagine we’re dancing.” Her hand squeezed his again, and he shifted his hand to grasp hers in return.

They smiled together, quietly imagining dancing together, at least that’s what Darcy was doing, and what she thought he seemed to be doing. Perhaps a minute or so passed when the bartender called out, “Mr. Sousa? Is there a Mr. Sousa here?”

Daniel looked up to catch the bartender’s attention, and the man behind the bar waived the telephone receiver as means of communication. “I’ll be right back.” He gave Darcy’s hand a squeeze before standing up and moving over to the bar.

Darcy noticed he seemed to move fairly well with his crutch. Not that she would push him on dancing, but she bet he could sway if he tried. But maybe it hurt more than it appeared. She didn’t know if maybe just walking caused him discomfort, and figured it poor taste to ask. Once he got on the phone, he looked over at her and gave her a nod. Darcy decided to follow, figuring it perhaps was Steve or Peggy on the phone.

“Yes, we’re fine.” Was the first thing she heard him say to the person on the other line, as she approached.

Darcy smiled, and got a warm smile from him in return.

“Oh, okay, sure. How long?” His expression read a hint of that clouded longing for a moment, at least that was how Darcy read that look.

She leaned one arm lightly on the bar, standing close, but not too close to him. She left him a foot or so of breathing room.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind keeping her company.” The warm, soft smile was back when Daniel spoke this time, his gaze holding Darcy’s again.

While she wasn’t a mind reader, and couldn’t hear what the other person was saying, Darcy thought she had a good idea of the gist.

“Steve asked to speak to you for a moment.” Daniel held out the receiver to her.

“Oh, okay,” Darcy took the receiver and put it to her ear, “Steve?”

“I’m sorry this is taking longer than I expected. I’m okay though. Just catching up with someone.” His voice seemed normal, though maybe holding back a hint of excitement.

“Yeah, I caught that much. Take your time, I’m sure I can keep busy for a while.” Darcy kept eye contact with Daniel as she spoke on the phone.

“Thank you. Daniel will stay with you and bring you back here later.”

“Sounds good.” They both said 'bye’, and when Steve hung up, Darcy passed the phone over to the bartender.

“I suppose it makes sense they’d want a little more time. I don’t really know everything about whatever it was they had, but…” Daniel trailed off again, looking at Darcy.

“I don’t really know either. I didn’t even know that’s where he headed when he went. But it makes sense. So, what should we do? How much more time do they want?” She shrugged, but her mind was considering that perhaps they had time for one of those things they spoke of a little while ago.

“Peggy said I should call or stop by in a few hours, when it gets late. So, I suppose we might have time to see a film or listen to some music.” He spoke slowly, as if the idea was only just arriving to his mind the moment before the words came from his mouth.

Darcy laughed softly, “That sounds good.”

She had shifted to open her purse, but Daniel quickly put a hand on hers, “I got it.”

He paid for both their drinks with the bartender. And offered his arm, which Darcy took hold of.

“Would you like to see if we can catch a movie, and if we’ve missed the show starting, we can take a drive perhaps?” Daniel had stopped them beside his car, which was parked not far from the entrance along the street.

“Sure.” Her smile was bright, and bold.

They caught a movie and then stopped by Peggy’s to see how things were going. They didn’t end up even going inside though. Peggy had answered the door, after a bit of a wait, and it was clear that they might want even longer. Steve was nowhere to even be seen through the open door. So the three of them decided perhaps it best to meet up in the morning. Daniel had asked if Darcy wanted to be taken to wherever she was staying, or if she might like to drive around a while. They drove around for a little bit, before Darcy asked if he had something at home to listen to music, so Daniel brought her to his place.

He took her coat and hung it up, while she circled the room looking around. “You have a nice place.”

“Thanks, I try to keep it in order.” Daniel hung up his own coat and suit jacket. He also discarded his tie before moving to turn on his record player.

Darcy turned to him as the music started to play, “You think I could convince you to try dancing now?”

Daniel chuckled a bit, “I think you could.”

Darcy moved close, and Daniel set his crutch to the side, taking her hand in his, and placing the other hand on her hip. She curled her free arm around his shoulder, their gazes hooked on each other, and they started a gentle sway.

When the music stopped, Darcy moved the needle back to play it again, an action she repeated a few times over, before changing to another record and doing the same with it. After the first couple plays, their extended arms pulled in close to their bodies instead, and there was no longer a polite inch or two between them.

“If you weren’t headed back to another time and place,” Daniel let the statement hang there without finishing it.

It didn’t need finishing, Darcy was right there with him. “I know. I feel the same.”


End file.
